Moondusted
by SilentStar-009
Summary: The Sailor Scouts and Guards are on the same side, but have little to do with one another. But thats not really the case in their day lives. And of course, there is a secret plan to get Serena and Darien together with some unconventional means...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Light filtered into the covered windows of a downstairs basement. There was an evil laugh and a puff of pink and purple smoke. Soon sizzling could be heard and another evil laugh.

"It's finished!" A person muhahahaed and let out a squeal of delight.

"Do you really think this will work?" Another asked looking at the bubblegum pink liquid in a crystal clear vile.

"Well if we followed the directions right, it should." They said looking over the ingredients in the old book that recently bought on eBay.

"Did we follow the directions?" The other asked looking doubtfully at the first person. The person gave an enthusiastic nod of their head and then the smile quickly faded as they looked more closely at the vile and then at the open book that was stained with oils and flower extracts. They weren't so sure.

"Come to think of it, you were quite liberal with the star dust." The other person said with a frown. The other person put a hand to their hip and glared at their sidekick.

"Star dust." They snorted. "Who came up with these names?" The other shrugged and took off their glasses.

"And I think you put a little less of a pinch of the moonlit rose blossoms in."

The one with the vile took another quick look at the book.

"How are you supposed to put a pinch of the petal in? I mean, people have different size thumbs and pointing fingers." They said, growing more frustrated with the moment.

"And the recipe did say that it was supposed to be a pale pink. That," They made a gesture of looking pointedly at the vile, "Looks too pink if you ask me."

They person looked at their partner and then back their creation. "Well, maybe we made a more powerful version of it." They sputtered, taking the insults like a pro.

Their partner smiled and took the vile from the other.

"But I guess there is only one way to find out of it works." They said and put a cork in it and stuffed it in their pocket. The other person smiled.

"And if it does work, we can get into the bigger things and actually make them fall in love." They laughed and hugged the person with the vile.

"Let's go test it on our guinea pigs then. I think they are at the crown arcade." They made their way upstairs and closed the door behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Serena slid into her chair and looked down the shiny counter at her friend Andrew flirting with an attractive burnet. She rolled her eyes and slapped the table with her palm to get his attention. He looked momentarily back at her, giving her a look that said, 'wait a moment' and then turned back to the girl. Serena growled and her stomach growled back at her. She gave her stomach a glare and put her head on the counter.

"Andrew." She moaned with despair and began hitting her head on the counter.

"Anymore brain damage and they'll have to send you the special school." A voice to the side of her drawled. Serena froze and closed her eyes tightly, thinking that if she tried hard enough, she could melt from her chair and escape out the door as a puddle of molten silver or something. Like Terminator 2. She added thoughtfully.

"Okay Serena, what do you want?" Andrew's familiar voice made her perk up happily. She ignored Darien's remark that said he should order something before the food was all gone.

"A double cheese burger with extra cheese." She said intentionally just to see what he said. When he muttered something under his breath, but nothing she could hear, she continued. "Strawberry shake with extra whipped cream and a side order of fries." She said. Just thinking about her soon coming food made her stomach growl angrily at her again. She rubbed it soothingly, silently telling it that it was coming soon. The bell rang as someone came into the arcade and she turned to see who it was. A bouncing blonde and white haired college student entered arm in arm, looking all lovey-dovey at each other.

"Mina!" Serena called and waved at her friend and boyfriend Kunzite. Darien turned as well, giving greeting to his friend.

"Did you save me a seat?" Mina asked with a bright smile and slid into the next barstool. Kunzite slid in the empty seat that separated Serena and Darien.

"Almost take up two anyway…" She distinctly heard Darien muttered under his breath and Serena sent him a glare over Kunzite's head.

"Where are the others? We were supposed to meet here ten minutes ago." Mina said, looking over her shoulder at the door. Serena shrugged, feeling suddenly bored. She was always bored when she thought about a scout meeting.

"Ami and Raye have some important things to tell us." She said looking back at the door when the bell rang again. Lita and Raye entered with Jadeite behind her, opening the door for them. They motioned them to a table and Serena joined them with Mina joining after kissing Kunzite good-bye.

"Where is Ami?" Lita asked.

"Here!" A breathless voice answered her question. Ami stumbled in the door with an armful of books. She dumped them unceremoniously on the table and pulled a chair from a nearby table to sit at the end of the booth. Serena's food was delivered and she took the hamburger eagerly, sending a sharp look at Raye who looked just dying to say something. But she didn't and Serena was satisfied.

"Luna and Artemis are on their way. They think they found the opening to Beryl. From what Luna told me, it was right here all this time. I crossed reference our most recent battles with our current one and I found a definite pattern. From the time line, and the data I collected from the last battle, I calculated that our next attack is tonight at eleven o' two tonight." She said in a rush. The girls blinked at the fast explanation and then slowly nodded as her words fell in place.

"So she's working on a time limit?" Lita asked snatching a warm fry from Serena's plate. Ami nodded.

"Maybe she's running short on time or something. That's why the enemy has been much stronger." Mina suggested.

"Yes, and the more desperate she is the more trouble we're in." Raye said.

"Who's in trouble?" Jadeite asked, kneeling in the booth behind them, kissing Raye on the top of her head. There was an uncomfortable silence as the girls tried to think of a reason. Despite all their closeness, Raye and Mina as well as the others decided not to tell their loved ones their nighttime activities. Serena swallowed her food trying not to look too frantic.

"Me if I don't turn in my report. Its three days late! I'm surprised Ms. Haruna gave me an extension." Mina said smoothly, giving a bright smile to Jadeite. There were silent wooshes of relief from the girls at her answer. He looked satisfied with the explanation and gave Raye a finally kiss on her head.

"Darien, Kunzite and I are going to the library. We'll meet up later?" He asked. Raye gave him a little nod and then he was gone.

"Good cover." Lita muttered to Mina. Serena polished off her shake and patted her belly.

"I'm surprised you can still fit your scout uniform." Raye finally blurted out. Serena knew she couldn't hold back her insults forever and just stuck her tongue out at her.

"Sometimes you don't act like a princess." Raye shot back. Serena looked around the arcade to make sure no one heard her.

They had found out she was the Princess they were looking for as soon all the scouts joined together and Mina joined the party. It was no real surprise. She had suspected that she was when she started getting these weird dreams before she became Sailor Moon. And when Luna dropped little hints on her missions about the Princess, she knew that she was the one they were looking for. But she remained silent and found the others before telling her.

Currently, they were trying to find seven crystals to obtain the legendary silver crystal to beat back Beryl's silent take over. To be honest, Serena was a little frightened. Her memories were slim as to what had happened to the past, but she knew what would happen to her when she used all the crystal's power. Suddenly tears came to her eyes, but she blinked them back rapidly.

Her friends chatted happily all around her, unaware of her currents distress. But they can't know. She though vehemently. They would never let her fulfill her mission if they did. Deep down in her heart, she knew that it was right, to give to them the greatest gift she could give them. But even deeper in her heart, she was scared. Fear tore at her heart the closer she got to getting her hands on the crystal. But, she made up her mind and one thing she had was an iron clad will.

"Tell the whole world why don't you?" Serena hissed at her. Raye looked a little ashamed. Serena was one of her very best friends, but she loved teasing her. There wasn't anything she and the others would do for her, Princess or not. After all, before she found out that she was Sailor Mars, she had befriended her when no one else would. Like wise with the others.

All the outcasts of the school were befriended by the most popular girl in all of the High School and they in return were bestowed the privilege of being part of the 'in' crowed. Serena was the first freshmen to be welcomed into the crowed of Seniors that ruled the school, and for three years, she was at the top of the school. But when they moved on to college, Serena was left by herself. But her cheerfulness was contagious, and she welcomed them in to her world no questions asked. True, it was great to be popular, but it was hard to be perfect as well. She didn't know how Serena always managed to pull it off while being a Princess and Sailor Scout. No wonder her grades were failing. She was about to voice that opinion when she saw a flash of fear cross Serena's face. Alerted, she searched her face for clues about the sudden bout of emotions, but nothing.

"I better get home. Mom and dad are going out tonight and I have to watch Sammy." Serena said and stretched her slender body.

"Good luck with that." Mina said sympathetically and patted her on the shoulder. Serena gave a mocked sad looked and stood up leaving a couple of dollars on the table for the waitress.

XOXOXO

Darien rubbed his tired eyes and squinted to see the words on his laptop screen. But they just blurred again. With a tired sigh, he clicked the save icon and turned it off.

"Tired, Prince?" Jadeite asked quietly, flipping mindlessly through a book.

"I told you not to call me that." Darien muttered and rubbed his eyes again.

"Old habits are hard to break." Kunzite told him and closed his folder. Darien was too tired to argue with them. He shoved his computer into his black bag pack and closed the various books around him.

"I think I'll call it quits too. I'm supposed to take Raye to the movies later and I have to shower and change." Jadeite yawned and ran a hand through his curly blonde hair. "I'll probably fall asleep in the theater." He muttered.

"Any plans Kunzite?" Darien asked. Kunzite shrugged.

"Not really. Mina has a pep rally tomorrow morning and has to go to sleep early." He explained and zipped his shoulder bag closed. "See you later." He said and waved to them goodbye. Darien left as soon as Jadeite did. He waked down the damp sidewalk, glittering with lights from the various stores' neon signs. He was so tired, he hoped desperately that there were no attacks tonight because he didn't know if he could finish one without dropping dead in the middle of the street. He was three-fourths of his way home when a scream echoed off the walls of the buildings. He closed his eyes and prayed that police sirens were coming. He counted to twenty, but other screams followed and the familiar burning of his abdomen rip across.

"Dumb cops." He muttered. They never did anything about those stupid yomens. They always left it up to them, and her. He dropped his bag and gave into his transformation. After slinging the bag over his shoulders, he put out a mental call to Kunzite and Jadeite before jumping on the roof of the closest building. The scouts were already there, fending off attacks. Sailor Moon did a little half flip in the air and landed with precise footing. Over the past few battles, he had noticed a major improvement on her battle tactics. She was more sure of herself now. Just seeing her now, it looked like she was dodging the attacks almost effortlessly. He leaned back against a brick wall and observed them, seeing that they were handling themselves pretty well. Two more presences crept from the shadows and joined him on the wall. They too observed quietly.

"Mars celestial fire…surround!" Mars said and the yomen let out a howl of pain. Jadeite let out an appreciative sound at her attack and Darien rolled his eyes.

"If Raye ever find out that you do that, she'll kick your ass." Kunzite said in a humph while keeping a curiously long look on Sailor Venus.

"I would never!" Jadeite said with indignation. But he gave them a secret smile and turned back to the fight. The yomen they were fighting took their complete attention they didn't see the other yomen creeping out of the shadows behind Sailor Moon. Darien took his chance and threw a rose at it, stopping its advance. He, Kunzite and Jadeite jumped from the wall and they each aimed an attack at the monster. They didn't have powers like the scouts and used swords like back in the past. They were the only weapons really familiar to them. The sharp blades sliced through the monster, sending black blood spurting everywhere, spraying them and staining their pristine black tuxedo suits.

"Ewww, that's sick!" A shriek from the girls made them stop their attack and look at them. The yomen they were fighting was a pile of moondust, and the black blood from the monster they were butchering was running down the sidewalk, washing over the Sailor Scouts boots. A smile twitched at Darien's lips as he saw Sailor Moon lift her foot and kick the blood off her shoe right at Sailor Mars.

"You jerk! That's gross." Sailor Mars fumed at her.

"You started it first!" Sailor Moon accused her.

"What! Me? What did I do?" She hollered at her. Sailor Moon shook her hair back.

"You singed me with your attack." She said simply. Sailor Mars's face flushed with anger.

"Well, your big butt got in the way!"

"I do not have a big butt!" Sailor Moon shot at her looking aghast at the comment. Tears gathered in her eyes as she looked at him. "Do I?" She asked him. He blinked at the question and looked at her butt.

"It looks fine to me." He sputtered, a blush burning his cheeks. He couldn't believe that he actually answered that absurd question!

"Ha! A guy's opinion counts more than yours does Mars. Now if you'll excuse me, I have someone waiting for me at home." She said pertly and disappeared into the shadows of the night.

"What a ditz! I can't believe she was blaming me!" Mars complained to the others as they walked away from the guys. The guys watched them get smaller and smaller down the rode, chatting like nothing happened at all and they were left with a half dead monster to finish off. Through out all the battles, and all the saves, his small team and the scouts never really talked to one another. There was a mutual understanding between them both, that if they didn't get in their way, the scouts wouldn't get in theirs. Tonight was the most words they exchanged…ever.

Soon the adrenaline that had been running through his blood faded and his weariness took over. He took one of his magic roses out and stuck it into the half dead monsters head. The rose flashed white and then the monster was gone.

"Aw man! I'm late! Raye's gonna kill me!" Jadeite moaned and transformed back into his civilian clothes.

XOXOXO

Serena cursed silently and stumbled out of her warm bed, tripping over her scattered clothes to get to the shower. After she was done, she jerked her clothed on, brushed some makeup on and did her hair up before going down stairs to get her breakfast. Her mother handed her some toast on her way out and she was booking it down the rode, hoping she could make it on time before the bell rang. She looked to the right and then left, deciding which shortcut to take.

"It doesn't matter though. I have the worst luck when it comes to him." She muttered, deciding to go through the school yard. She was almost to the gates of the school, ecstatic that so far she hadn't run into…and then he was there, with his nose in a book. She dug her heels into the cement to stop, but her momentum didn't follow and she bumped head first into a hard chest. They both fell to the ground with a moan.

"I should have known." He said from his place on the ground. Her knees hurt from the fall, and she knew that she was going to have a bump on her head. Jeeze, what the hell was he made of? Steel? Maybe he wore a breastplate because he knew he would run into her and wanted her to have a bump on her head.

"You find your way to all my shortcuts Prick!" She whined and picked her battered body off the sidewalk. He bolted up like a zombie emerging from his grave and sent her a glare.

"Go to school meatball head." He looked pointedly at his watch and smirked. "Five, four, three, two one." He said and she listened in horror as the last minute bell rang.

"Aw man!" She moaned and grabbed her bag from the floor and sprinted all the way to her homeroom. She collapsed into her desk seat just as the last bell rang.

"Wow, Serena, you should join track with me." Lita whispered to her, sliding into her chair just as Ms. Haruna came in with a bright smile on her face.

"Good morning everyone!" She greeted happily. "Please pass your homework to the front." Serena dug into her bag. But something didn't feel right. She pulled out her folder expecting to see pretty stickers dotting the front, and her friend's signature on the binder. But it was just blue. A dark blue folder with absolutely no personality. She opened the book and saw neat scrawl about something in aero dynamics and the…She flipped through the pages, and saw other complicated subjects she didn't care a hoot about and a name written at the top.

"Prick." She hissed, glaring at him name.

"Serena? Do you have your assignment?" Ms. Haruna's voice broke though her anger and she closed the book with a slam.

"Uh, well you see…" She stuttered, trying to think of something to tell her teacher. "I ran into someone in the street and we got our bag packs mixed up." She finally said. Ms. Haruna frowned and flipped the folder open, lifting a brow in interest.

"What a coincidence." She murmured and flipped the book closed. "Stay after today, I have something to tell you." She said and that was that.

A coincidence? What was a coincidence? And the Prick had her bag, looking through her stuff, touching her valuables!

"Darien? You ran into him?" Mina whispered behind her, looking over her shoulder at the paper.

"Of course." She groaned and shoved the folder back into his bag and zipped it roughly. She was dying to go through his stuff, but knew better than that.

XOXOXO

Darien was early to class and took a seat next to the window in the back of the class and pulled out his folder, ready to hand in the report early for extra credit. But instead of his professional looking blue book, there was a pink one with various girly stickers on it along with names of people he didn't know. He opened the folder and saw her name written with a pink pen. He opened the divider that said 'homework' and saw her assignment there on different plagues they were studying. He scanned over it, subtly impressed at what she wrote.

"Mr. Chiba. How are you?" He heard his teacher called out to him.

"Fine." He replied and flipped the pink folder closed and shoved it back into the bag pack.

"Come here, I have a proposition for you." He teacher waved him down. "A friend of mine asked me for a favor. And I thought you and a couple others would just be perfect for it." The elderly man said kindly, pushing his gold rim glasses back on his nose.

"What is it?" A knock interrupted them.

"Ah, Zoicite. You came just in time." The teacher said and shook hands with a handsome young man with long, light brown hair and emerald eyes. He looked almost like a girl, but the air around him told him not to judge. Something hit him, like the times he met Kunzite and Jadeite. A sense of familiarity. Could he possibly be another one of his protectors?

"Darien Chiba, this is Zoicite Greene. I asked both of you here because, like I said, a friend of mine needs a favor. There are a couple of people in her class that needs some tutoring, and I thought, why not some of my best students. If you don't want to, then its okay, but if you do, then booku extra credit will be awarded. Not that you need it, but it will look really good on your transcript."

"Where at?" Zoicite inquired. The teacher took that as a yes and handed them a piece of paper.

"Juban High School. Just ask for Ms. Haruna."

That name sounded familiar, but it didn't dawn on Darien until last minute.

XOXOXO

Serena waited patiently in the hallway for Ms. Haruna to come to talk to her.

"Hello Serena. Are you waiting for Ms. Haruna too?" A soft voice called out to her.

"Ami? She wanted to talk to you too?" Serena asked, now even more curious.

"Yes." Ami answered simply and took out a book. Thankfully it wasn't long before Ms. Haruna opened to door for them. They both took a seat in front of her and waited.

"Well, I have some good new for both of you. Well," She paused and gave Serena a look. "maybe not so good for you. I called a long time friend of mine and asked him to send me some people to tutor some of my more…special students." Serena's jaw dropped. A tutor? She looked at Ami. Ami, of all people didn't need a tutor!

"Excuse me?" Ami asked.

"Its not that you don't do good Miss Mizuno, far from it. If you decide to take this tutor, then the credits you earn with him will be counted to your college credits. But Serena, you are in dire need of a tutor. I've seen you work, and while you don't seem behind on your work, you could do better. I already asked your parents about this and they agree. So tomorrow morning, you'll meet them." She said it with finality giving her a mischievous look and then ushering them outside. A sense of impending doom took over her, and she walked all the way home, wondering why she was so freaked out about it.

XOXOXO

AN: I had already written this chapter and chapter two is finished too, so, if you read this, then please review, anyway love you all lots and lots kisses MUH


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Serena looked at the yummy food her mother cooked but had no appetite. This tutor thing was affecting her more than she thought it ever could and the frustrating part of it was that she didn't know why she was so freaked out. She took a few bits of her food and pushed her plate away.

"Serena? Are you feeling well?" She heard her mother's concerned voice.

"Why did you say yes to the tutor thing?" She asked them. Her parents exchanged looks.

"Come on Serena, you of all people know you need lessons." Her father said, taking a sip of tea.

"Yeah, or they'll flunk you." Sammy jabbed at her. Serena sent a glare at her little brother who smirked at her and took a big bit of his rice.

"We didn't do this to be mean. We're concerned about your future." Her mother said softly and kissed her temple. "You look tired. Go lay down and I'll save your dinner and dessert for you." Serena left upstairs, practically dragging her feet. She fell dead on to her waiting bed and was out like a light, hoping tomorrow wasn't as bad as she was making it seem…

XOXOXO

Serena woke up early and arrived to school early making the students look at her like she was crazy. But she ignored the whispers and gave them a bright smile. On her way to class, she was stopped by a many of her classmates, a dozen or so boys, she was so caught up in her chatting that she didn't see her tutor standing by her class room, staring at her.

Darien knew from Kunzite, whom Mina always informed, that Serena was the most popular girl in school. But he couldn't really imagine it until he saw it for himself. She breezed through the various crowds like nothing, cheering them up and making the boys hang on her. He didn't know if she realized it, but all the guys who tried to charm or hit on her, she brushed them off and distanced herself from them. And for some reason, he was happy about it, that she had no interest in them. Darien scoffed at that thought.

A couple of girls passed him and gave him a shy smile before giggling and running toward Serena. They whispered something to her and she lifted an interested brow and looked passed them, right into his eyes. She stilled, and narrowed her eyes dangerously. If that look was to make him feel intimidated it didn't work. He smirked at her attempt as she walked from her group of friends.

"Prick." She greeted with a nod of her head.

"Meatball head." He greeted her coolly back.

"What are you doing here? Trying to pick up on young girls?" She asked him, looking behind her at her giggling friends.

"Jealous?" He purred in her ear. She snorted and began circling him.

"Of course not, I don't get jealous easily." She said, running her fingers across his chest, and then back. He caught her hand and pulled her in front of him, meeting her daring eyes with a dare of his own.

"Watch it Serena, you don't know what you're doing." He told her dangerously.

"I don't? Then why do I keep doing it?" A good question. What the hell was getting into her? She was _flirting_ with him! And she liked it! This was getting out of control…

"So, this is where we were supposed to meet?" A new voice asked. Serena and Darien snapped out of their staring contest and she dropped her arm to her side. He was about Darien's age, long, curly light brown hair and bright, clear, green eyes. He was attractive, but couldn't really compare to Darien. She added, and she gasped at her turn of thoughts? Now what? She was going to compare every man she met with him?

"Good to see you Zoicite." Darien acknowledged him.

"Hey Serena!" Ami called out, down the hall way, making her way through students greeting to her. "Hello Darien." She said and gave him a friendly smile. She turned her attention to Zoicite, who was staring opened mouthed at her. Ami tried to hold her smile and not frown, but his look was strange.

"And you are?" Serena spoke up for her when her mouth didn't seem to work.

"In love." He murmured seductively and kissed the back of Ami's hand. Ami looked at him a bit flustered and giggled in a most UN-Ami way. She tried to pull her hand back but he held fast to it, unwilling to let go. "I'm Zoicite Greene and you are the most beautiful woman in the world, Miss…" He trailed off, waiting for her to give him her name. Ami was too shell shocked at his boldness to offer a name.

"Ami Mizuno." Serena supplied freely, loving the little scene in front of her. Darien ran a hand down his face and looked heavenward.

"A beautiful name…" He told her and kissed her hand one last time before letting it go. Ami, unused to all the attention he was giving her, backed into Serna and grabbed her hand for support. Serena slid her arms around Ami's waist and put her chin on Ami's shoulder.

"He likes you." She whispered to her while keeping a close look on Darien.

"Serena, Ami, you're here early." Ms. Haruna happened upon them with the keys to the classroom. Serena stood up and pulled Ami into the classroom with her. "And you must be the tutors Mr. Shepard sent to me." She gave them an appreciative look. "How nice." She said and put her bag on her desk.

Tutors? It didn't hit Serena why Darien was here until she heard the word 'tutor'. The blood drained from her face and she staggered to her seat.

"Not him." She said in a voice that sounded like an echo. "God, please, not him!" She managed to squeak out.

"Really Serena, enough dramatics." Ms. Haruna said, unaware of the past Darien and Serena shared. But maybe…She thought desperately, maybe Darien was going to be Ami's tutor and Zoicite would be hers. A crazy little laugh sounded off in her head, yeah, that's it, Zoicite would be her tutor.

Darien was just as distressed as she was and was cursing his teacher and himself for arranging this extra credit assignment. Hell, he didn't really need the extra credit that much, he could write a paper, anything but have to deal with her!

"I'm so glad! This arrangement is going to work out, no doubt." Ms. Haruna laughed with delight. Serena eyed her teacher, she was acting strange. The teacher went to a filing cabinet and pulled out two neat folders, handing one to Zoicite and one to Darien. "I took the liberty to make a small profile for you about the girls. I figured, that since this will be a year long thing that…"

"_Year_ _long_?" Serena and Darien both yelled at her. Ms. Haruna rolled her eyes.

"Did we forget to tell you? How rude of us." She said with a dismissive flutter of her hand. Serena felt faint, and her breathes were becoming shallow.

"I think I need to lie down." She said in a sick voice. Ami patted her on the shoulder in concern.

"Do you need to go to the nurse?" She asked her friend, ignoring the look in Zoicite Greene's eye.

"It's just a panic attack." Darien muttered. Serena sent him a glare.

"I thought you said that there were other students? Other ones besides him?!" Serena pointed a finger at Darien.

"Did I say that? Oops?" Ms. Haruna offered, like that would make it all better. There was something strange in the way the teacher was acting but she couldn't put her finger on it. "Anyways, you should start right away. Serena especially, since she has a lot of catching up to do."

Serena stood up sharply. "Excuse me? I'm not late on any of my assignments!" She protested.

"Of course not, but you parents wanted you to take some extra credit. They want you to reach your full potential." They are all against me Serena thought in despair. My mom and dad and teacher, even Ami won't stand up for me! They want me to suffer with him!

"You two better get back to campus. They'll see you after fifth period. Come to the door to get them." Ms. Haruna said.

"Of course. By the way, which one will I be tutoring?" Zoicite asked. Me, please let it be me…Serena chanted in her head.

"Why Ami of course." Ms. Haruna said with a smile.

"Nooooooooo!" Serena moaned along with Darien's groan.

XOXOXO

He couldn't concentrate on his quiz, all he could think about was that he had to pick Serena up from school and take her to the library to begin the torture. Three hours with Serena? He couldn't even stand three seconds with her. She always made him want to argue and tease. She always ran into him and threw things at him. She ate too much and she was too damn cute to avoid! It wasn't that he didn't like her, nothing so dark, but there was just something about that girl that made him get mean and protective…

Woah, protective? Where did that come from? He shook his head, not wanting to think about his turn of thought. He sighed and filled in the blanks of the test sheet. The year was almost over anyway, he could survive typhoon Serena right?

He had an hour to kill before he had to pick her up, so he wandered around campus looking at the future events when someone ran into him.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" The person apologized, picking up the book he dropped.

"I wasn't paying attention." Darien apologized back and kneeled to help him out. There were cook books scattered all around their feet. After all the books were picked up, they finally looked at one another. His eyes met with dark blue ones. He's familiar to me, just like Zoicite was. The other man looked just as curious.

"Have we met before?" He asked in a low voice.

"No, I'm Darien Chiba." He said and held out his hand.

"Nephrite, Nephrite Eve." He said and took his hand. The warmth of the shake was like the first time he shook hands with Zoicite, and Jadeite, and Kunzite. Was this a guardian also?

"I just had the strangest feeling that we met somewhere." Nephrite said, shaking back his dark, wavy brown hair.

"Me too. Are you new here?"

"Yeah, I transferred three days ago." Nephrite said and looked down at the books he was holding. "I'm still a little lost." He admitted looking at the map of the campus on the bulletin bored a couple feet away.

"Hey, if you need my help, I'll be happy to show you around." Darien said with a friendly smile and they began walking together. They came across a poster of an upcoming movie. 'Moondusted', a story about Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask and their un-quenching love for one another. He laughed. If they only knew that he and Sailor Moon never really talked.

"Sailor Moon." Nephrite said and scratched his nose.

"You know of them?" He asked. Nephrite shrugged.

"Just what everyone else knows. I'm a Sailor Jupiter fan myself." He said with a smile, looking at the actress who was playing Sailor Jupiter. "She looks way better that the actress. Do you have a favorite?"

Darien shrugged. "Sailor Moon I guess." He admitted.

"Really, I would have thought you would be a Mars fan for some reason."

"Nah, she has too much mouth. Sailor Moon on the other hand had a lot of heart. Besides, my friend, Jadeite is a Mars fan." He said with a laugh. "If you come to the Crown Arcade later this evening, I'll introduce you. I think you'll like him." He checked his watch and cursed. "I better get going. It was nice meeting you. Call me if you need directions to the arcade." He jotted down his cell number and gave the paper to Nephrite and sprinted to his car.

XOXO

Serena tapped her foot impatiently in the hallway of the school waiting for Darien. Zoicite had come a half an hour early to get Ami, who sputtered in protest as he whisked her away.

"Sorry, sorry." He said breathlessly after a five minute wait.

"And you complain about me being late." She muttered and began walking with him to the parking lot.

"Hey Serena, are you busy tonight?" Brian, captain of the football team asked her when she passed him getting a drink of water.

"Well…" She didn't really care for him. He was cute and charming, but for some crazy reason, he wasn't her type.

"She promised a date with me later. Sorry, too late." Darien said after he saw Serena try to get out of it. Brian's face fell, but he smile anyway.

"Another time then." He said and kissed her cheek.

"If it was someone else who asked me and you said that, then I would have kicked your ass. But since it was Brian and he doesn't take no for an answer, I thank you." She said and gave him a grateful smile.

"You're welcome." He said and opened the door for her and their first tutoring session was off with out _too_ much bickering.

XOXOXO

Since the Crown Arcade was their nightly pit stop before going home, he drove her there and left her to her friends.

"Serena? You and Darien?" Mina asked in surprise. Serena shot her a look and slid next to Raye.

"Shut up. He's just my tutor, nothing more." Raye smiled secretly and slid a full strawberry shake to her. Serena looked at it in surprise, but it turned to suspicion.

"What did you do to it?" She asked.

"Nothing, I swear. Mina told me about Darien being your tutor and I thought that a reward would be granted to you if you didn't come in here screaming at one another, so, wala." She said and popped a straw into it.

"Actually, Ms. Haruna bought it for you for being such a good sport about the tutoring thing." Lita said and hit Raye on the arm.

"Taking credit from others Raye?" Serena said and put her lip on the straw to take a gulp when another straw was put into her shake.

"She bought one for Darien too, but Andrew spilled it on accident, so you have to share." Raye said, ignoring the comment from Serena.

"Share? My milkshake? Are you crazy?" Serena asked her friend, flabbergasted that she would even consider that option. Especially with Darien.

"Share, or I'll take it away from you." Raye warned. Serena looked from her shake to Darien, and was unwilling to give up her strawberry shake.

"Darien, come here please." Mina called to him. He was sitting at the barstool with Kunzite and Jadeite and he looked at them questionably. Slowly, he slid off the stool and came to see them.

"Ms. Haruna and Mr. Shepard bought you and Serena a strawberry shake, but Andrew dropped yours. So you and Serena have to share." Mina said.

"I don't want a shake." He told them and walked away.

"Come on, you like strawberry." Jadeite pulled him back and sat Darien across from Serena.

"A race! To see who can finish it first before you get a brain freeze." Mina offered.

"That's childish Mina. Besides, I always win the races." Serena said proudly, looking pointedly at Raye whom she always raced with.

"But you have a new challenger." Raye said brightly, a little too brightly.

"It'll be fun, I'll even put a plaque up with the winners name on it." Andrew joined in. So Serena and Darien were surrounded by their friends, pushing for something as absurd as a milkshake race and they couldn't get out of it.

"Fine." Darien said and put the shake between them. Serena lifted a brow. He was agreeing to this? Stoic Darien, Mr. Zero Personality with the plain blue folder with no stickers on it?

"Alright." Serena said and put her lips on the clear straw, only inched from Darien's face. Their eyes bore into each others.

"Go!" Mina and Raye said simultaneously and they began. A trick she used was to let the ice-cream melt in her mouth before swallowing. The cold liquid pored down her throat and into her empty stomach. Her cheeks were clenched tightly together to suck in the thick shake, her tongue, resting at the end of the straw. The milkshake dwindled down until it was almost at the bottom. She felt no brain freeze coming on and thought maybe she had won, but Darien showed no signs of brain freeze also. The last sip was divided between them, and thus Andrew had called it a draw.

"A tie!" Raye asked, looking at Serena in surprise. Serena wiped her mouth with a napkin and shrugged.

"Do they both get a plaque?" Mina asked Andrew.

"Well, I did promise. I'll see what I can do." He said and went back to the counter to help some customers.

"Nice, very nice." Darien turned to the sound and saw Nephrite behind him. But he wasn't looking at him, or even speaking to him. It was Lita he was staring at.

"Nephrite, you made it." Darien said and shook his hand.

"It wasn't hard to find." Nephrite said smoothly.

"Guys, this is Nephrite Eve, a Sailor Jupiter fan." Darien added the last past with a touch of sarcasm.

"Sailor Jupiter?" Lita asked all of the suddenly, finally looking at the new arrival. "Why her?" She asked, leaning into the table.

"She has green eyes. I'm a sucker for green eyes. Just like yours." He said smoothly. Lita was used to being charmed, and this guy, Nephrite was doing it very well. And it didn't hurt that he was the most beautiful man she ever saw, hell, he didn't even look like the senior she pined for all these years. But there was just something about him that captured her. She fluttered her lashed playfully.

"I like your eyes too." She said flirtatiously. He leaned in, resting his arm on the back of the booth seat so where he was close enough, but not touching.

"Like? Not love?" He asked her deeply, fluttering his eyes too. Her heartbeat speed up when she smelled his intoxicating mix of cologne and soap.

"I'll love them more if I see more of them." She said sweetly, and they held eye contact for a while as the world dropped away from them.

"Who's your favorite?" Raye asked Jadeite, stroking his arm lovingly, seductively, faintly.

"Not hard at all, Sailor Mars." He said smoothly and kissed her lightly.

"Why her?" She whispered.

"She reminds me of you love, that's why. But she can never compare. No one can compare." He said huskily as her touch venture to his chest, pulling at his shirt to kiss him. Their lips met almost desperately, a hungry kiss that promised more if only they were alone. The sound of the arcade gradually brought them back to reality and they ended their kiss reluctantly.

"Oh I almost forgot, here, you left these on the table last night." Raye said, digging in her purse and giving Jadeite's glasses back.

"Well, I have to admit, Sailor Venus has my vote." They heard Kunzite say, and he wrapped an arm around Mina's shoulder and nuzzled her neck. "She has your eyes and hair. It's almost like you had a twin or something." Serena saw an unnerving emotion cross Mina's otherwise pleased face. All this talk about the Sailor Scouts, made the girls quiet down considerably.

"What about Tuxedo mask and his partners? Any comment about them?" Jadeite asked.

"To tell you the truth, I don't really know because you can't see their faces." Serena said and shrugged.

"True." Lita said and the girls nodded.

"What? You're not turned on? I thought girls liked masked men that are hard to find out." Jadeite protested.

"Who said that?" Mina asked. "I personally like to know what guys are thinking and what they look like. For all we know, the Tuxedo Circle guys are ugly with great bodies."

Kunzite sputtered. "Whose body were you looking at? Not Tuxedo Mask himself!" He sent a glare at Darien for some reason.

"No, Sailor Moon has a thing for him. I like the one with the light blonde hair." Mina said dreamily.

"Sailor Moon has a thing for Tuxedo Mask?" Darien asked them, looking at each girl expectantly. "How do you know that?"

"You can see it. That tension between them. Just the other night, I heard that she asked Tuxedo Mask if her butt was big. He took a long look at it and said he liked it." Raye told him, playing with Jadeite's fingers.

"I like her butt." Serena said simply.

"Looking at other girls?" Darien asked her. Serena turned to him.

"Does it turn you on?" She asked him huskily. There I go again, flirting with him. Uhh, what has gotten into me?

"A little." He shot back, looking at her with the same daring eyes he had earlier.

"Whoa, just how close have you guys gotten in one day?" Raye asked them. They didn't answer her, just stared at one another.

"Where is Ami?" Lita asked them, shaking her hair back, knowing that it brushed against Nephrite's arm.

"She's not back with Zoicite yet?" Serena asked, breaking eye contact, suddenly concerned. Zoicite was being quite liberal with his attention and intentions with her. And Ami never really had experiences with the opposite sex, she was worried.

"I'm sure she's fine Sere." Mina said softly.

"Speak of the devil." Kunzite said and they turned to the bell ringing over the entrance. Zoicite came in first, followed by a giggling Ami who seemed to be enjoying herself immensely.

"Ami, who's your friend?" Lita called out. Ami blushed and joined them.

"This is Zoicite, he's my tutor." She said shyly. Greetings arose from the table. The room hummed with magic, it gave Darien goosebumps. Serena looked at her friends, wondering if they felt it too. All the power emanating from the table. It was getting hot, like a bewitching candle that flickered in a stale room, humming there. A boom echoed off the walls of the arcade and they all ducked.

"Another monster?" Serena whispered to her friends as they ducked under the table.

"We should get home, let the scouts handle this." Lita told them out loud. The guys nodded and they parted ways. The girls ran to the alleyway and transformed quickly and then, they were heading out to the street in the sound of the commotion.

"Can't have one peaceful night can we?" Sailor Moon called out to the girls after the monster let out a howl of battle.

"Nope." Sailor Jupiter yelled back over the roar and aimed an attack at the ugly, girl slash bird like monster.

XOXO

Zoicite and Nephrite went along with the other guys for some reason. Déjà vu hit them as they moved with the other guys. A powerful assault to the mind, this déjà vu they were having. The world around them was phasing out and in, the colors all around them turned bright colors then black and white. Their breathing was labored, like the air around them was too thick to breathe in. Zoicite and Nephrite fell to their knees and Darien halted Jadeite and Kunzite. The wind picked up all around them, whipping around their bodies and making their clothing flutter uncontrollably. The source of the wind was coming from where Zoicite and Nephrite fell.

"Prince?" Jadeite asked Darien in confusion.

"I knew it." Darien whispered and the wind hit his chest, full blast making his armor appear. Zoicite and Nephrite looked at him in awe.

"Endymion?" Nephrite said with a scratchy throat.

"Prince?" Zoicite asked unsteadily. Darien shifted uncomfortably, he was still unused to being called Prince.

"At last, all of my guards are returned to me. And now, my mission to find the shadowed princess is come." He said with a strong voice and gave into to his other transformation, with the others following suit, one right after another. A burning feeling in Zoicite and Nephrite's abdomen made them clench their stomachs and soon, they were dressed in an impeccable tuxedo suit and mask as well.

"But first, we have to help the beautiful damsels in distress." He said, raising his eyebrows a couple of times. They were off with a swish of their dark capes.

XOXO

Serena concentrated and jumped at the last minute to avoid a sloppy attack of the feathers the yomen was throwing at them. It was like she was molting or something. She hated birds when they molted!

"Venus, love me chain encircle!" The monster's wings were tied to her sides.

"Anytime now Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mars said and pushed her forward.

"Hey, that was uncalled for!" Sailor Moon sputtered. Sailor Venus's hold on the golden chains was lessening and she shot the two feuding pair a glare.

"I'm going to let go!" She threatened them.

"You better not!" Sailor Jupiter called out.

"Shine aqua illusion!" Sailor Mercury said and froze the monster in place.

"Really you two." Sailor Venus let go of the chain and walked to the two with hands on her hip. "Can't you get through one battle without fighting?"

"She started it. She didn't need to push me!" Sailor Moon said, sticking her tongue out at Mars.

"Do we need a Scout intervention?" Jupiter asked them.

"No." Moon and Mars said in a guilty voice.

"I'm sorry." Mars said and she and Sailor Moon hugged.

"See, its all better now. Can we get back to moondusting the monster?" Mercury asked them.

"I guess." Sailor Moon said in a huff. But as they turned back to the fight, they were met with five cloaked men already stabbing the monster to death with silver swords.

"They always kill the monsters so messy." Sailor Moon said and shielded her eyes as Tuxedo Mask plunged a rose in the monster's head and it disappeared.

"Do they always fight like this?" A new Tuxedo clad partner asked Tuxedo Mask. He shrugged. Soon, a cheer erupted from the crowed that had watched them and they were assaulted with flashes from cameras and daring reporters, trying to break through the barricade of police forces.

"Kiss her, kiss her kiss her." A chant began. Of course they knew who they wanted to kiss. Headlines of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask and their unspoken love for one another were plastered every where they turned around. Sailor Moon blushed and shook her head.

"Did you see the new movie they made of us?" Tuxedo Mask asked her.

"Since when did we ever give them the impression that we were in love with one another?" she asked him as they met in the middle.

"Never. Until next time?" He asked and she nodded emphatically.

"See you!" She said and she and her party went opposite from Tuxedo Mask and his party. They laughed at the disappointed moans from the crowd.

XOXOXO

"It was a failure after all." Someone said, from their lab in the basement.

"I told you it was a maybe." The other person said, lounging on a battered, but really comfortable couch.

The first person gave a troubled sigh and flipped through the pages of the old book. "Lets try something new then? Perhaps a kissing spell of some sort. Nothing big, but I think they'll like kissing one another."

"Ah, a true romantic at heart. Perhaps I should do this one. I think I'll be more successful to tell you the truth." The person on the couch said, getting up from their spot.

"Oh really? Then by all means, impress me." The other said and kissed their

Partner on the cheek and handed them another glass vile.

"Watch the master work." They said and began the recipe.

XOXO

AN: Another chapter of this new story finished. I hope it gets more reviews. Maybe the next few chapters will grab more attention...Anyway, love you all lots and lots kisses :muh:


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Serena yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"…you should make sure you have three strong topics, saving the strongest for the third paragraph…beginning with an opening…ending with the same opening to reinforce…."

His voice was mesmerizing. It was so boring, it droned on and on…Oh, keep your eyes open, there is no telling what he would do if he caught her falling asleep, but still, it was kinda nice falling asleep to his voice…almost familiar really…

Darien looked up from the essay tactics he was discussing to see Serena resting her head on her hand, and dozing off. He sighed for the fourth time today since they had started their session.

"Serena." He said in an irritated voice, snapping his fingers. She didn't stir. "Serena." He said more loudly. He shook her shoulder and she snapped her eyes open.

"Mmm, Darien, you interrupted a good dream." She said and stretched, looking back at her paper.

"Was it about me?" He asked slyly. Serena smiled cheekily. It was, a little. But she was unwilling to tell him so. His ego was already too big.

"Can we finish this some other time?" She asked him, flipping her folder closed and pushing her bangs from her eyes.

"I guess." He said in a defeated tone and stuffed the scattered papers in his bag pack.

"Great! I'm so glad it's the weekend. Now I don't have to see you anymore!" She said in good humor.

"Awww, that hurt meatball head." He said, touching where his heart was and looking wounded. Serena rolled her eyes and hurried out the library.

XOXOXO

"Jadeite…" Raye breathed at the front door of her room. They had just returned from a late date, and Raye was trying to persuade him to stay the night. Which wasn't really heard, considering that, number one, he was a guy and number two, he was a guy…well, that's how she thought of it anyways. Her arms were wrapped his neck, giving him nipping kisses on his bottom lip, tempting him take his liberties before they were in the comfort of her room.

"I have an early morning class." He protested weakly, lifting her body to mold with his.

"You can still wake up early." She said breathlessly and kissed the corner of his mouth, then down his neck to where a vein was fluttering wildly under her lips, down his collarbone.

"Raye…" He moaned and took her wondering lips in a heated kiss of pent up passion. He reached behind her and jerked open the door to her room. As soon as the darkness greeted him, she pulled away and jerked her shirt above her head in anticipation. He undressed rapidly, and as soon as they were both naked, they attacked each other. He backed her up to her bed, where she fell gracefully, welcomingly. He knees clamped down on his hips as he slid onto her easily. She grinned evilly and tightened her inner muscled around him and moved her hips in a circular motion. He groaned and stilled. Through the darkness of the room, he looked at her with dangerous blue eyes.

"Raye, stop it." He warned and fidgeted when she did that again. "Damn it Raye!" He said and moved fasted and faster, in a frenzy, taking her to the tip of pleasure and luring her into unmentionable satisfaction. When he was finished, she couldn't help but giggle at his frown. He rolled off of her and pulled the sheets over him, turning his back to her.

"Aww, Jadeite, don't be mad." She teased him. He always wanted their sexual experience to be nice and slow. Prolonged, was what he called it. But she wanted it fast, and exciting. It was only a little while ago since she learned what made him lose his control, and every chance she got, she did it. She sat up, and leaned over him, looking at the side of his face, letting her hair fall against his bare skin. He pretended to be asleep, so she kissed his cheek, and licked his ear. He shivered slightly, and she breathed into his ear, where she wetted it.

"Stop." He mumbled in an unconvincing tone. Raye lifted a brow and then scooted away from him.

"Okay." She said simply and grabbed her robe, heading to the bathroom.

Jadeite was a little annoyed that she actually left him. He was enjoying her make-up administrations. He waited for a while, to see if she was coming back. He sat up and looked around the dark room, but she wasn't anywhere.

"That girl." He muttered and wrapped the red sheets around his waist and made his way out the door and into the next door. Steam invaded his seeing, but beyond the grey mist, he saw her waiting for him in the water.

"Come on Jadeite, I'll do whatever you want…" She purred seductively.

XOXOXO

"But this isn't a kissing potion." Cried a person in the dark basement. Their partner took back the baby blue colored potion.

"I know. I just wanted to see how much they think of each other so I can get a better assessment. This potion I made in absolute perfection, might I add," They gave a superior smirk to their partner who just rolled their eyes, "It's just the thing to tell me so."

"Oh really? How?" Their partner asked them skeptically with cool eyes.

"Sneezing." They said simply.

"Sneezing." The other said bluntly, looking at their partner like they had gone mad.

"You know the saying, or myth, or superstition, whatever you like to call it, that if someone sneezed two times in a row, that someone is thinking about them."

"I heard three." The other murmured, suddenly seeing the light to their partner's plan of attack.

"Well, whatever. The point is that when Serena and Darien breathe in this stuff, every time they think of one another, they'll sneeze.

"How do you suppose they breathe it in?" The first person asked, liking the idea.

"I know a way." They said with a wicked grin.

XOXOXO

"So tell me Prince…" Nephrite began.

"Don't…"

"Call me Prince." Jadeite and Kunzite finished for him. Darien shook his head and took a sip of his morning coffee. They had all met at his house after the battle a couple of days ago to discuss their mission, and what they were currently doing.

"Are you ready yet? I want to try out my new jogging outfit. See if the ladies like it or not." Zoicite said, after he finished tying his shoe.

"Patience Zoicite. I'm sure she'll still be there." Darien said dryly, standing and putting his cup in the sink.

"What?" Zoicite's eyes shifted uneasily. "Who?" He felt a blasted blush stain his cheek. They all knew that Zoicite had a thing for Ami and that he wanted to catch her at the park for her daily reading by the pond.

"I wonder if Lita is going to be there." Nephrite said thoughtfully, shaking back his hair. But then focused his attention on Darien. "So tell me Darien, how come we and the scouts don't work together?"

Darien shrugged his shoulders. "It's always been that way. I mean, we work for the same side to defeat the yomens, but like us, that have a mission to fulfill. We don't know what it is, but we do know it has something to do with the seven crystal. When it comes to those, we might as well be enemies." He grabbed his shoes and pulled them on hastily, annoyed that they all decided to go jogging with him. But every since they found out about their pasts, they vowed they would pick up where they had left off. Guarding him to no end, at least one of them had to sleep over at his place. They babysat him like a dammed child! But then again, it beat being alone in the night with haunting dreams.

As soon as they were set, and about to go out, a rapid ringing of his bell stopped them. Darien frowned and opened it to see a clean-cut young man in an all white suit holding a crystal bottle of something in his hand.

"Good day sir, would you like to sample out new fragrance from MagicMahem?" He squirted a spray in the air without waiting for a reply. Darien choked on in, and mumbled a no before slamming the door in the sales person's face. But the persistent pest kept ringing and ringing the bell. Darien shot the guards a worried look before Zoicite opened the window to the balcony and looked down at the appalling distance.

"Do you like climbing my Prince?" He asked him with a wide grin on his face.

XOXO

Serena was walking merrily down the streets of the bustling morning. She greeted many people on the way, offering a smile and pleasant hellos to all she passed. It was such a great day today. No school, no scout business…yet. But she shook off that thought and continued on her way to the crown arcade. The girls would be surprised to note that she was there early for once in her life time. But not even Raye could make her feel gloomy. As she passed a row of boutique shops, a bright red head intercepted her with a bottle of perfume poised in front of her face. Serena stared crossed eyed at it.

"Good morning Miss! Would you like to sample our new fragrance, MagicMahem?" She asked and began pumping the stuff in her face. Serena backed away and waved her had in front of her face as she coughed.

"Uhh, that stuff is strong!" She exclaimed and walked quickly past the sales girl as she tried to get Serena to buy some. She arrived at the mall and was still trying to get the stench off her clothes when Raye and Mina arrived.

"Whoo, was the hell kind of flower did you roll in?" Raye said and scrunched her nose in distaste. Serena sent her a small glare.

"If you must know pyro, I was assaulted by and over exuberant perfume sale chick and she douse this stuff on me." Serena said, pinching her shirt and moving her head to the side before she started getting a headache.

"You can say that again, I'm getting dizzy just standing near you." Mina complained. Serena sighed, and her shoulders slumped. Now she was depressed, she scowled to herself, thinking of ways to get revenge on the sales lady.

"Tell me about it." She muttered.

"Well, "Raye began with a sigh. "We _are_ at the mall, maybe you can buy some new clothes and change in the bathroom or something." Serena readily agreed and they all headed into the mall, with Mina and Raye standing far, far…far away from her.

XOXO

Ami loved reading in the mornings beneath the tall hanging tree next to the pond. It was her special little spot. A place in the middle of a busy city where you could hear birds chirping and hear the water ripple as a gentle breeze caressed the land. She liked being alone sometimes. After she became friends with the most popular girl in school, her quiet, lonesome life dissipated and she was tossed into a whirlwind of appearances and perfectness. Serena always managed to pull it off flawlessly, and even though Ami was grateful for her popularity, sometimes she tired of being surrounded by a doting student body and longed for time away from all that. Before she met Serena and became a scout she was the top school nerd, still was, but with better clothes and a lot more friends. She would be eternally grateful for Serena and the others. But her social life was interfering with her school work, more than she liked to admit, and she would be damned if she let her GPA slip anytime soon.

"Ami!" That voice made her jump, and also made her heart pitter patter uncontrollably. With all the calm she could muster, she forced her shaky hands to close the book delicately and turn her head.

"Zoicite, how nice to see you." She said, lightly looking over his running attire. My my, did he look yummy in that nice pair of clothes. A blush began to stain her cheek, but she forced it away. Zoicite crouched down and moved her hands away from the front of the book to read the title. A wave of heat washed over the flesh he touched.

"Pride and Prejudice." He murmured and smiled at her. "Like it so far?" He asked and settled too close for comfort. Ami tried to ignore the goosebumps that emerged on her arms. He smelled like fresh sweat, mixed with a soap and deodorant.

She gave a graceful shrug. "It's the fifth time I've read it." She said simply and placed the book back into her book bag.

"Come on Zoicite, no breaks." Someone called out to him from the cement sidewalk. Ami didn't fail to notice the annoyed look on his face as he turned to the person. It was Nephrite and Darien, jogging in place.

"Hi." She greeted them with a little wave.

"Hey Ami." Darien said and smiled warmly at her.

"Are you here by yourself?" Nephrite asked. Ami nodded and checked her watch.

"Oh my goodness!" She exclaimed and jumped to her feet, brushing off the grass from her pants. "I told the girls I'd meet them at the mall. I'm so late!" She said and slung her book bag over her shoulder. Darien sneezed and excused himself after a course of 'bless yous'.

"I'm sure Serena will be the one late." He said dryly and sneezed again. He was probably right, but she didn't care. She said a quick goodbye and left.

Darien sneezed again, three times in a row and Nephrite and Zoicite became big mommies.

"Are you okay Prince?"

"Allergies?"

"Do you think you're getting a cold?" They bombarded him with questions and clucked over him like he was some sickly child or something.

"Prince Endymion, are you okay?" Kunzite ran up from behind, after lapping the others in their jog, and Jadeite was wheezing when he to joined them.

"I'm," huff, huff huff. "I'm going to beat you," huff huff "someday Kunzite." Huff huff. "You," huff, "just got a head start." Huff huff huff. Kunzite shot the laboring Jadeite an amused smirk.

"Sit down man, before you faint." He chortled at him, and then turned back to Darien.

"I'm fine." Darien snapped and sneezed again. "Probably just dust in the air or something." He told them. Soon his sneezing subsided and they finished their jog. Jadeite and Zoicite wandered from the group to a store to get some more water and he, Kunzite and Nephrite were stretching in the grass. There was a tickle in his nose and he sniffed back the sneeze. Jeeze, what was with him? He never had allergies before now…

XOXO

Serena and the girls exited the bathroom stall with her smelly clothes in a bag. She felt so much better.

"Bitch, you always look good in pink." Raye mumbled playfully and Serena passed her a pleased comment, checking herself out in the mirror.

"Yes, I agree." Serena replied pertly. Raye muttered something about being conceited , but didn't quit catch it because her phone rang.

"Ami! Where were you?" Serena demanded, fixing her hair with one hand. "Oh, we're in the bathroom. See you."

"Is she coming?" Lita asked. With a nod, no sooner finished, Ami burst through the door, her cheeks flushed. Serena raised an eyebrow at her. It was a familiar picture now, seeing her pink and cute now that Zoicite was interested in her. She was a little jealous of her friend because she had someone like him in her life. A wave of sadness effulged her once more and she turned from her friends, acting like she was busy with her clothes in the bag. They were much to perceptive than she would like them to be, and lately, with her destiny looming closer and closer in front of her, it was hard to be happy, let alone act happy when you knew death was going to knock on your door soon. She'd be lucky if she lost her virginity before she died, which was depressing in itself. She hated feeling jealous of her friends; they all had someone but her. Well, Lita and Nephrite weren't actually together, but they were going to be sooner or later. At least she took comfort in knowing that Darien the Prick didn't have anyone either. Her smug smile crumbled as a sneeze escaped.

A chorus of bless yous greeted her as she turned back to her friends talking about what kept Ami.

"…And then Zoicite interrupted me and we talked for a little before Darien and Nephrite joined us." Another sneeze as Serena wondered what Darien might have looked like in his jogging suit, all sweaty…and at that thought, a string of hefty sneezes followed.

"Dang Serena, are you okay?" Lita asked and pulled some paper towels from the device to give to her. Serena sneezed one more time and shrugged.

"Probably just the perfume. Let's dump the clothes." Raye suggested. Serena let out a little squeak of shock and it looked like Mina was going to drop in a faint.

"Raye! A-are you serious?" Serena asked her clutching her smelly clothes to her chest tightly.

Raye frowned. "They're just clothes." Mina braced herself on the bathroom counter, taking deep breaths before she did faint.

"They are not just clothes." Serena pulled out a grey tee-shirt and shook it in Raye's face, not caring that her eyes were watering from the strong perfume. But she had to make Raye realize their importance! "This is a vintage shirt, only two hundred were made and I camped for three days in front of the store just to be the first in line to get one." Her voice turned solemn as she reminisced with a faraway look on her face. "You should have seen the line as the doors opened. Many girls fell in the herd. I—" She took a shuddering breath. "I had to do thing that will forever haunt my dreams in order to get one." And then her face turned cold. "But all is fair in love and…clothes." She finished dramatically with Mina almost to tears, petting the shirt Serena had in her hands, totally enthralled with her story. "That is why we can never throw away any kind of clothing. Each one has a special story behind it." Serena told her finally, gently placing the shirt back in her bag. Silence greeted her.

"Okay." Lita said slowly and they left it at that, with Raye and Ami giving both Serena and Mina strange looks all day as they proceeded with their shopping.

XOXO

"Perfection huh?" A person asked with a smug smile in their lips. The other person in the basement shrugged.

"Even geniuses make mistakes. It still worked, although it's backwards." A smile pulled from their partner's lips as they nodded in agreement.

"Actually, it works out pretty well. How long before in wears off?" They asked. The other turned to the spell book and ran a finger down the fading letters.

"Midnight tomorrow." They said with a sigh, and pulled off their glasses to rub their eyes.

"Well let's get to work. They'll meet at the Crown Arcade around noon." They said smartly and flipped off the desk light, closing the book gently. Together, they both left the basement, full of anticipation.

XOXO

Andrew just finished wiping the counter when the bell chime rang and told him he had the first of his lunch customers. Darien and his group of friends entered, talking loudly to one another and laughing. They all slid onto the bar stools and Andrew greeted them with a friendly smile.

"Have you seen Raye yet?" Jadeite asked, scanning the arcade of a glimpse of her. Andrew shook his head no and placed a coffee cup in front of Darien and Kunzite who thanked him. It was an hour or so before the door chime rang again and the girls he'd been waiting for entered. They assembled themselves in their corner booth and all of the guys except Darien left the counter and joined them. Darien stayed in the same place with his nose buried in a book. His eyebrows were scrunched in concentration. Andrew shook his head and cleaned the counter of the discarded cups.

Serena climbed over the booth into the next to get away from the crowed. For some reason today, she just wanted to be alone. She grabbed her book bag from the floor, next to the other girls and settled in the same booth she escaped to. It was Thursday and she had to hand in four assignments (she neglected to do until the bitter end) to hand in to get Miss Haruna off her back. Like, her stupid essay. She opened her sparkling pink folder and took out the paper she started with Darien last Friday. (sneeze) She sniffed and began to read what she wrote. Now, what did he say…

Andrew finished talking to someone complaining about loosing his money in the crane game. I mean, don't people read. He had put a sign that read in big, red letters OUT OF ORDER. As he glanced from patrons to patrons, he noticed Serena in deep concentration about something spread in front of her. She was scribbling something down, then erasing the next minute. In surprising shock, he saw it was her homework. He watched her for a minute or two before two nerdy looking boys shyly approached her table. She looked them, and he saw her smothering an annoyed look. They exchanged a short conversation before he saw the boys eagerly sit across form her and she pushed all her papers in front of them and sat her mechanical pencil down. After that, she scooted from the booth with a smug smile of power on her face. Andrew sighed aloud. He watched her do that many times before. Sometimes her popularity was just too much.

"What?" An uncaring voice asked him.

"It's nothing." Andrew muttered in an unconvincing tone. Darien placed his book aside and entwined his fingers together for an answer. Andrew hesitated for a moment, but his big brother conscious got the better of him and he told him in a testy voice.

"Serena always does that." He said. Darien's brow wrinkled and he placed a hand over his mouth as a sneeze escaped.

"Does what?" He managed to say after his recovery.

"Let others do her homework." He said with an annoyed wave of his hand in her direction where she was laughing at something Jadeite said. "And that's not the worst part of it, she doesn't even have to _ask_, and her nerdy lackeys are licking her shiny black shoes. How is she suppose to learn if everyone does it for her!" He asked in frustration. All the while, unbeknown to Andrew, every time a thought of Serena crossed Darien's mind made him sneeze, until he found away to hold them back. (Although it made his eyes water to do so) But beyond all of that, he understood where Andrew was coming from. He'd be damned if all his free time of him tutoring her was for nothing if she had someone else taking her burden from her. How was she going to survive in the world if she can't do something a simple as writing a three paragraph essay herself? He placed his book back into his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

Serena was merrily enjoying herself when someone rudely grabbed her firmly by the arm and dragged her from her friends. And they didn't even notice it. She stumbled forward and right into a familiar brick wall made of flesh and bone. (She be damned if she thought of his muscles)

"Hey!" She said and glared at him. "Just what do you think you're doing?" She demanded, fighting the tickling of her nose.

"I should ask you the same thing Serena." He asked her coldly and pulled her to the table where her two 'homework buddies' were feverishly completing her homework. Serena looked at the scene in disinterest and shrugged.

"What can I say? If they want to do my homework just to see my pretty smile, then who am I to say no?" She asked with a pleased smile.

"That's all they are doing if for? To see you pathetic smile?" He asked, removing his hand from her arm and folding his own arms.

"Is not pathetic Prick." She said with a sharp poke in the chest. "And I was planning to buy them a shake after they were done." She said with a pout. But secretly she was smiling. It wasn't like she was _that_ shallow. Many people have always offered her…_help_ with her homework, and to them, and almost all of the student body thought she coasted through school, and life in general, but she didn't. Not really. Because being popular meant that you had to do what pleased your admires. And her admires were people that would do anything for her. She had finished her essay a while ago and was almost done with her two math assignments, and her language class when two of the smartest boys in her grades offered to…_help_ her. She could hardly say no to their earnest faces, so she gave them an extra copy of one on her assignments.

Darien was silent, and Serena saw him check his temper. He put a large hand over one of the papers and one of the boys looked up with a frown. "She'll do the rest." He told them that held no room for argument.

"Sorry Serena." They said and left the booth. Darien pointed to the empty seat.

"Sit." Serena debated whether or not to obey him, but in the end she did so, very slowly and with a 'humph'. He sat across from her and took her paper from the table and Serena watched in horror as he began erasing everything the boys wrote. When he was done, she turned the paper back to her and placed her mechanical pencil in front of her and with a smug smile he said, "Now, let's start…all…over…again…shall we?"

She huffed and under the watchful eye of her homework parole officer, she finished her work quickly. After all he didn't do a very good job about erasing it all. She just traced over the previous answers with her own handwriting to get him off her back. When she sat her pencil down she shoved her papers in her folder and sat back in the booth roughly with an angry pout, glaring at him. Of course, he wasn't intimidated by that look. But he let out a sigh and Serena had an idea that he knew what she had done. But she be damned if she _explained_ herself to him. How could he possible know what life she lead, how popularity worked. He had a little cluster of friends, to please and she had a whole school.

"Tell you what," He began, not the words Serena expected out of his mouth. "Your teacher tells me that next Friday you have an essay test. If you get through the whole week doing your _own_ homework and _pass_ your test, next weekend I'll treat you to a night out on the town." He said. Serena blinked a couple of times to see if she was hearing him right. An evil little thought developed in her head and she sneezed before answering him.

"Anything I want?" She asked slowly, leaning forward. "And you won't bitch about the price?" She asked. Darien was silent, wondering what she was up to. It was not like money was a problem for him, but he was imagining a night, parked at an all you can eat buffet eating the whole restaurant out of business. Shaking that absurd through from his mind, he leaned forward until their foreheads touched and stared her in the eye.

"_If_ you stick with your side of the deal, I'll take you where ever you like to go. And I won't bitch about the price." He said. And both their faces scrunched and they both let out a sneeze. Luckily they both moved quickly away from each other and avoided the spray of spit…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Ahhhh!" The yomen screamed as she was pounded with attacks. She flew up into the air and Sailor Venus summoned her love-me chain and pulled her back down just as Mercury and Jupiter combined attacks and ended her rampage.

"Moon healing activation." With out a moment to lose Sailor Moon let lose her attack and the yomen turned back into the young painter Serena and Darien had met earlier.

"Grab it!" Mars yelled and Mercury dashed and grabbed the crystal before one of the solemn shadows flew down and tried to snatch it.

"Pitiful men leave the women to do all the hard work and you try to swoop down and get _our_ crystal?!" Mars yelled at the short haired blonde figure behind the white mask. His lips curled in a smirk. And Raye puffed with outrage.

"We got it Mars. Don't waste your time on him." Jupiter told her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's not like we didn't help." One of the men said to them, flicking his hat up to see them better, his green eyes glittering. "It was a joint venture."

"But we got it in the end." Venus said smugly and then smiled flirtatiously. "Maybe next time boys. Besides we're equal now. We have three and you have three."

"So what? Is this some kind of competition?" It was the leader of the men who spoke. He made his way between the other two guards who remained silent.

"Don't be silly." Venus told him with a flick of her hand. "We just try to find fun in our grueling labor." Sailor Moon watching in amusement as Tuxedo Mask's dark blue eyes dulled with confusion.

"Look, enough chit chat. We have to have all the crystals for us to fulfill our mission." Mars stated hotly. There was silence and the only thing they really heard was the cops telling the crowd to disperse.

"And you expect us to give them to you?" The man with the shoulder length platinum blonde hair finally spoke. His voice was cold and menacing.

"We want to know what you need them for." Mercury bit back to them. They said nothing and Sailor Moon let out a sigh.

"It appears there can be no compromise." She said and gave her scouts a meaningful look and they nodded. Mercury handed the crystal to her and they all left, going different direction, leaving the men standing there, wondering what just happened.

XOXO

When she got home, Serena sank onto her bed and stared at the sparkling gem in her hand. They shook as she held it because to her, it was just another nail in her coffin.

There was only one more left.

Her insides quivered coldly as she walked to her drawer and pulled out a pink box where she stored the others. She placed it gently inside and the others glowed, like they were sending messages to one another. Fear was something she was adjusting to. When she was all alone, in her room, she would bring the blankets over her head like a cloak and stare at the drawer with the crystals in it. Images from her past would flash before her eyes, like a constant reminder of what she had to do when all of them were brought together. She was scared, so scared, but still…She knew what she had to do. Her friends, her family, the world. She knew, but…still…

XOXO

Darien waited for Serena after school. He was there a little early he knew, but he wanted to see if she did well on her test. Soon the final bell rang and students filed out, happy to be free. Serena wasn't far behind, but as she walked down the stairs, he noticed she wasn't smiling. She wasn't happy at all. Her friends laughed and talked around her, and she would smile half heartedly, but her attention was else where.

"Hey Darien!" Mina called out and waved at him. He nodded in acknowledgment and the girls made their way to him.

"How did you do?" He asked Serena with an encouraging smile. Her attention snapped to him and she flushed a little. She opened her folder and gave him her paper. And she did it; she passed with an A-. "Guess we're going out tonight." He told her but again, her attention was somewhere else. "Serena?" He snapped his fingers in front of her.

"Yeah, about that." She began with a sigh. "I don't really feel like going out. But thanks for the offer. I'll see you on Monday." She said and left them with a wave. Darien frowned and looked to the girls for answers. Raye shrugged.

"She's been like that all day. I don't think she got much sleep."

"Yeah, she's been walking around like a zombie all day." Lita said, watching Serena's retreating figure. It was fall, and colorful leaves fell gracefully to the ground, only to be swept up and blown against her hunched back. Her hands were in her pockets, and she kept her head down as she disappeared across the road. It was such a gloomy sight to see her like that. Unnatural really, because Serena was always happy and smiling.

"She didn't say what was wrong?" He inquired, turning his attention back to the girls. They all shook their heads, looking at him with troubled eyes.

"I know she said that she didn't want to go out tonight, but I think you should convince her to go. Maybe whatever you do tonight can help her take her mind off of what's troubling her." Ami suggested. Darien sighed and nodded, turning back to his red sports car. That wasn't a bad idea.

XOXO

Back in the basement, the two conspirators turned to one another, not sure about the new potion they concocted.

"This one is pretty serious." One of them said, and placed the bottle with the abnormal green sparkling bubbles. They were almost memorizing really, each bubble growing from the bottom and shooting to the top where it would let out a blue smoke when it popped against the glass cork.

"I know. But something is up with her, and I want to know. Besides that, if they plan on seeing _it_, then…" The other said stubbornly. Their partner snapped their eyes on them.

"Did you actually read the side affects?" They interrupted. Their partner hesitated and sat down next to them on the lumpy old couch.

"I know, I know." But troubled thoughts kept on returning to their head. She was acting really sad and depressed. They didn't like seeing her like that. And if she saw _it_ then, she would get even more depressed. "But it said that it was a ten percent chance anything happened." They told them, looking expectantly at their partner. The other person hesitated.

"Can we face that ten percent chance?" They asked weakly, and their partner smiled softly and grabbed their partner's hand, giving it a little squeeze of assurance.

XOXO

She didn't know why she came back to her room. It was the last place she wanted to be, so close to those…things. But she was tired and she wanted to sleep the rest of the day away and wallow in self pity. She deserved that much at least. She was just about to hop face down on the bed when a knock interrupted her.

"Serena, there's a boy here to see you." Her mother called out. Serena frowned, she didn't hear the doorbell.

"Tell them to go away. Cramps." She added the last part with a smug smile and fell on her bed like she wanted to. She let out a content sigh and closed her eyes, just about to fall asleep when there was another knock at her door. She groaned, frustrated that her mom wasn't firm in her dismissal of the unwanted boy. "Mmmooomm." She whined turning over.

"Not this time." Was a more darker voice than she had anticipated. She bolted up and stared flabbergasted at the boy in her room.

"Darien? What do you want? How did you get up here in the first place? What kind of ruse did you tell my mother?" She demanded. He leaned against the doorframe.

"You think any woman can resist my smile?" He asked arrogantly, and smiled slowly, deliberately. Damn he was so cute! She thought to herself and found her self wanting to smile back.

"What do you want Prick?" She asked lazily and picked at an invisible piece of lint on her shirt that was open tantalizingly over the swell of her breast. Her pretty, lacey pink bra peaked out. She watched his gazed roam over her, a haughty smile tugging at her lips. Soon, the playful air in the room changed drastically to something else. Something she liked…she thought. He was silent, as he forced his gaze away, and for some reason, Serena found herself a little disappointed.

"We were going to go out remember." He said, one of his hands rubbing over the taunt stomach under a dark blue polo shirt. Serena's eyes riveted to that spot, catching a look at the tan skin, teasingly showed to her. She resisted the urge to lick her bottom lip and made herself think of something else. _Anything_ else.

"I told you I didn't feel like going out." She told him firmly, focusing on her frown, instead of him. She wanted to be depressed damnit! The way he was staring at her was making her a bit nervous and her thumb nail wound up in her mouth. She watched his eyes focus of her mouth. And she licked her lips, really to test his expression, and she wasn't disappointed by it. He grew tenser.

"Why not?" He asked, his voice, a little thick. She pouted, an immediate reaction and turned away from him bringing her knees to her chin and looking out the bedside window.

"I just don't." She said softly, refusing to look at her dresser when the thought of the jewels entered her mind. But her self pity was replaced by surprise when she was scooped up into his arms. She let out a surprised squeak, her arm automatically wrapping around his neck.

"Too bad Meatball Head. I just can't stand there and see you acting like this." He said tightly and Serena wiggled in his arms, suddenly outraged.

"Damnit Darien, put me down or I'll scream for my mom!" She demanded, struggling harder, but his grip tightened on her she winced. He continued to the door and out into the hallway. "Do you think I'm kidding Prick?" She hissed at him and took a deep breath in to bellow out her threat. But it was cut short, when he pressed his lips to hers, silencing her outburst. She stared at him in disbelief, too shocked to even break away. What the hell did he think he was doing! He broke away, and she let out the air she had been holding in with a woosh.

"You were saying." He asked her smartly. A blush stole up her cheeks.

"MO—!" Her scream was cut off by another kiss, and Serena struggled harder, finally breaking his hold on her and she was let down as he broke the kiss.

"Stop doing that!" She yelled, backing away from him, watching him warily.

"Then don't scream." He told her cheerfully and grabbed her arm, dragging her down the stairs. She pulled and twisted, but it was like he had tunnel vision. He kept dragging her down the stairs and into the living room. As she looked through the rooms, she saw her mom in the kitchen, washing dishes. If the Prick thought that he could get away with treating her like this then…

"Don't even think about it." Darien warned out of now where. Serena turned her attention to him. Her eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth, but when he began to move in close, she decided against it. Nothing was worse than a parent witnessing his or her teenager being kissed. And she didn't want him to kiss her again. _The jerk_. She snapped her mouth shut, fuming when he smiled in his cocky that's-what- I-thought look.

"Let go of me now." She bit at him and twisted her wrist to make the point. Her skin pinched under his hard grasp.

"When we get out the door." He told her. And just like he said, he released her when they stood in the cold crisp fall night. She looked longingly up to her window, imagining herself snuggled under her toasty blankets. In her comfy jammas, and soft, fluffy winter socks with little bunnies on the toes.

"Serena! Let's go!" Darien's brisk voice cut into her blissful images. Trust him to ruin everything. I didn't _want_ to go out! "Serena!"

"I'm coming!" She yelled back at him in an angry huff. "Jeeze." She harshly yanked open the door to his car and slid in roughly, yanking her seatbelt in place and folding her arms in a pout in front of her. She wouldn't talk to him no matter what. She promised and held to it. Darien's corny music wafted through the speakers, and his heater was turned to a comfortable degree. He would stop abruptly, making her jerk forward to get a response from her, but she blatantly ignored him. It wasn't fair, she thought gloomily. He kissed her and didn't think a whiff about it. It wasn't her first kiss true, she let that golden opportunity go to a boy she had met in summer school, behind the small yellow handicap bus. It was awkward, and wet, but very innocent. She had been twelve at the time, and he was thirteen. But, Darien…to be kissed by him, just to get her to be quiet. Well, she was pretty sure there was no feeling behind it. She never gave away her kisses freely, and he took one without asking! Took a couple…she corrected and jerked forward suddenly. Annoyed, she glared at him and he simply smiled.

"We're here." He said and opened the door. Serena leaned forward and looked through the window to see the sparkling lights of a movie theater. People were in lines at the box office, mostly younger children in junior high, out with their friends. "Come on." He urged her. Sighing in defeat, she got out and slammed the door hard, smirking at his wince. Good, served him right for abducting me from my house when she wanted to wallow…

She shivered in the cold air and they waked to the box office. Her eyes searched the movie titles.

"Moondusted." She told him as they entered the line.

"What? That's a chick flick!" He protested. Serena smiled smugly.

"You said anything I wanted." She told him, dangling his words in his face. His mouth turned grim and when it was their turn to pay, he moodily slapped a credit card down.

"Moondusted." He said in a hollow voice. Serena's mood lightened as they entered the building. The smell of popcorn made her stomach rumble and she grabbed his arm, hurrying to a concession line.

"A tub of popcorn and an extra large Coke. Make sure you layer the popcorn, and um…a box of milk duds and a medium nacho." She told the teen. The teen worker hurried and punched in the order, and looked to Darien to get his order.

"Just a soda for me, medium." He said. The young teen filled their order and before Darien could grab the popcorn, Serena snatched it.

"Don't think so. Get your own." She said and stuffed a handful in her mouth. He stared at her with an astounded expression.

"What? You thought I was going to share?" She asked him innocently with her mouth full of half chewed popcorn.

"That is a lot of food." He finally said. Serena raised a brow.

"And?" She asked and waked to the hallway, leaving him to carry the rest of her order. They found seats high in the theater, smack dab in the middle. Previews were already playing, and even though she didn't feel like being here, she made the best of it and decided to give the movie all the attention it deserved. Slapping Darien's hand away from her popcorn, the opening music blasted through the speakers and she settled comfortable in her plush chair.

"Once upon a time, long ago, there was a striving, beautiful Kingdom." The narrator's voice was soft, and feminine, floating through the speakers. Light and airy… "A Kingdom on the Moon…" Serena let out a small little gasp as fairly accurate Moon Palace, glowed silver on the screen. She sat still, her heart hammering hard in her chest as the story progressed. It had everything in there, the story of the Moon Princess, and Moon Queen, the battle. Serena sat on the edge of her seat, soaking the whole story. It was a scene of The Princess and a Prince, an Earth Prince…tears threatened to spill over as she stared at them looking deeply into each other's eyes. Her heart tightened as she watched him caress her cheek, and her eyes fluttered closed, and she almost remembering that same feeling.

"Prince…" The actress sighed and said his name.

"Endymion." Serena murmured, his name spilling from her mouth like sweet nectar. A flood of forgotten memories assaulted her. His dark blue eyes, warm and intelligent. Ink black hair, thick and silky between her fingers. The smell of cedar and fresh dirt drifted to her nose. She stared into the screen as the actors kissed. It was just like she remembered, his hand on her cheek, tears falling as she closed her eyes because she knew something bad was coming as she would lose him. And the feel of his soft lips pressed warmly against hers. There was so much regret, and love in that single kiss. All around her evil hummed, but when he was with her, it was like they were in a bubble all their own, where nothing could touch them. But something broke through the bubble. Serena watched anxiously as the two actors exchanged words, and the Prince took a step backwards from the Princess. He withdrew his sword and swept his long cape across the front of the Princess as the Evil Queen approached them. There was a big scene with the Prince doing battle as the Evil Queen kept sending monsters to destroy him. But The Prince battled hard, all to protect the Little Princess who could do nothing but stare and watch as the love of her life was dying before her eyes.

Serena sat back in her chair. Do something. She screamed mentally, don't just stand there! What a weak person, a damsel in distress. Help him! But she couldn't do anything, she was just a Princess. She was bred into a life of comfort and stability. She knew nothing of war, nothing of pain or courage. Oh, she wanted to help, and she could have if she had the crystal, but her mother had it. Serena turned her attention back to the movie where the Princess looked at her fallen Prince in a pool of blood. His eyes were glossy and he still had a strong grip on his sword. The Princess kneeled next to him. His blood stained the beautiful ball gown she had on. But it didn't matter now, she felt so numb. Serena unconsciously twined her fingers with that of the person next to her. The Princess on the movie looked dead already. Her face was so pale as she took the sword from his fingers, still warm.

The monsters seemed to pull back and the Evil Queen said nothing, just watched the couple intently.

"Prince." She knew he couldn't hear her, but it didn't stop her from trying. War waged all around her, all she heard was screaming and clashing of metal. She could hear the roar of the fires that ravished the once beautiful Moon Kingdom. And her scouts, her dear friends, they were all gone. She could feel it in her heart, the deep blackness. Their light was stamped out, just like his was. The Princess stroked Prince's hair.

"What's the use little one?" The Evil Queen cooed making her sound almost sincere. "Tell me, where is your mother. Where is the Moon Queen and the crystal?" The Princess didn't care about that. All she could think about was him, and the sword in her hand. Her knees were drowned in his blood by now.

What _was_ the use? Why should I let her take everything from me? She wouldn't get me. The Princess glared at the Evil Queen. The Queen must have seen that defiance in her because she took a step forward. "Tell me!" She yelled. "Don't you dare! I want to know!" But The Princess's mind was already made up and before a monster even started its advance the Princess plunged the sword deep inside of her. The Evil Queen roared with outrage and the Princess slumped forward. Serena remembered the pain very well because she didn't die right away. Blood poured in dribbles down the shiny metal of the Prince's sword and her blood mingled with that of her dead lover.

Coldness stole up her arms as her body tried to retain the heat of life buried deep inside of her. She hacked and blood burbled in her throat, and stung her tastebuds, and then rolled from her lips. It was taking so long to die.

"A fool's way out." The evil Queen hissed and placed her feet on the ground next to them. Her blood red heels floated just above the pool of blood, and she kneeled down, and turned the Princess to see her. The sword slipped deeper in the wound and the Evil Queen tsk tsked. "I suppose it was good for you to do this. Only a real Queen would be able to face me, and you Little Princess are not such a person. While you trembled with fear, your one true love died to protect you. And for what? To let you kill yourself? Foolish mortal love Little Princess. Foolish." She hissed and placed her palm on the hilt of the sword, with a little smile, she pushed down and all went black.

Serena sat back, sizzling with the resonating sound of the words the Evil Queen spoke still ringing in her ears. _I'm not like that anymore_. Serena insisted in a little voice as the movie showed the Moon Queen falling to her knees after defeating the Evil Queen. _I'm not so weak anymore_…

That's why I look at the crystals with such fear and hate another part of herself spoke. If I'm not so weak, then why am I prolonging my duty? My destiny?

"They are all gone." The Moon Queen said in a trembling voice, staring at the destruction. "Luna…Artemis…" She bowed her head and took the crystal from the wand. "I need you to do something for me…" The rest of the movie went on, but Serena felt no inkling to watch the rest. She knew the rest, knew the fate of everyone. How they found out about one another, when they became scouts again...

"Serena…." A voice was distant, she had to block everything else from her mind to hear it. "Serena, are you ready?" She came back down to earth and turned to Darien sitting next to her. He was raising his brow and looking at their linked hands. Serena blushed and snapped her had back.

"Sorry." She muttered and stood. Her popcorn was all gone as well as her nachos and Milk Duds and only ice remained in her drink.

"It's late. The movie was longer than I thought it would be." He yawned and stretched. She gave a half hearted smile. "Before I drop you off, can we stop at my place really quick?" He asked. Serena shrugged.

"A cup of coffee?" Serena joked.

"I forgot I left the heater on, and you left some of your homework at school and left before I could catch you." He tapped her forehead with a thumb. "Remember you have a final on Monday? You have to study this weekend if you have any hope of passing." Serena rolled her eyed and shook her head.

"What a nerd." Serena muttered. But they left the theater and arrived at Darien's apartment in fifteen minutes. She got out and yawned, rubbing her eyes to keep awake. It was getting late and she was usually in bed by this time. After all, Saturday was her fun day and the girls always wanted to do something together. Sleeping late was for school days she thought with a smirk and entered the elevator. Cheesy elevator music filled the silence, but soon that torture was over and they arrived at his place. When he flipped on the light, Serena was taking back on how huge the place was, but she was also taken back on how drab and neutral the place was too. I mean, did the guy have something that wasn't grey or white? A little blue here and there and it was waayy to neat for her taste. Man, she was getting even sleepier by how boring his furniture looked!

"Can I use your bathroom?" She asked when her bladder threatened to burst. She didn't go at the theater and now, she was practically bouncing.

"In there. Don't touch any of my things." Darien pointed to his open bedroom door and Serena stuck her tongue out. She could darn well touch his things if she wanted to, he wasn't the boss of her—hey what was that? An interesting looking clay pot caught her attention but Darien said her name in a warning tone and she sulkily decided not to touch.

His room was much the same. It smelled like clean sheets and roses. Huh, such a girly scent, she thought before she flipped in the light to the bathroom. After reliving her self, she went back into his room and suddenly stopped. What was that? It couldn't be…she stepped forward turning to the feeling. It was a strange tinkling feeling, like sparkling in your heart. Soft but recognizable because she felt that same feeling every time they found a rainbow crystal, and she felt it every time she went into her room. Her heart sped up as she walked closer and closer to a small night stand sitting by Darien's bed. She slowly opened the door, but it was bare, but she knew they were close. She roamed her hand over the shiny wood, and under the drawer.

There, taped to the bottom, she felt a box, she yanked it off. It was a plain black box with a sliding top. Inside, three of the seven rainbow crystal winked up at her. There were here…Serena took a deep breath to stifle her tears and looked quickly behind her to see if Darien was still in the living room. Her hands shook and she emptied the box in her hand. But how…she thought with growing panic, looking all around her. It can't be true, they can't be here unless…In growing horror she shook her head. All this time…all this time…

"Serena! Are you ready? I told you not to touch—" Darien stilled in the doorway, looking at her blankly. Though her tears, she held out her hand to show him the jewels.

"Put those down." Darien barked and started after her. Serena scrambled past him and dashed to his balcony, sliding the door open. It was windy all of the sudden, and she climbed on the rail. Darien followed her but stopped when he saw her on the railing. They stared at one another silently, tense and afraid. Her communicator rang and she didn't move to answer it. After a few more beeps, Jupiter's voice filled the silence.

"The last one Serena. It's at the park." And then her voice cut out.

"I'm sorry we had to find out like this Darien." Serena said quietly, letting the strands of her hair caress her hot cheeks and tangling in her eyelashes.

"Don't take them." He begged and took a hesitant step forward. "They are all I have." Her heart broke as she looked at him, so beautiful and so sad. But she knew her mission. She knew what she had to do. She and the scouts were going after the last one, and tonight, she had a feeling that they would be the victor. She and the Scouts would get the last crystal, and then her fate would be sealed.

"I'm sorry." She whispered and called out her transformation. After she was finished, she crouched down on the railing, steadying herself. "After tonight, I will be dead, and all your questions will be answered. I promise." She said and flipped backwards, and down to the battle that awaited her. And down to her destiny.

XOXO

"It's the last jewel, and too late for us to do anything to retract that spell." Someone said as they ran down the ally with their partner.

"Too soon for anything to happen, so we should be okay right?" Their partner asked, trying to keep up.

"I told you not to meddle with forgotten memories! Look at what you did! That movie came out before we could stop it!"

"That was what the potion was for! To make them forget what they saw!"

"Well it didn't work. If anything, it only made the memories came back faster and more clear." The person looked grim and their partner didn't say anything as they came to a clearing. The park was just in view and the concrete vibrated. They saw the Scouts blasting a monster.

"What can we do?" One of them asked. The other, more serious one shook their head.

"All we can do is watch."

XOXO

AN: Moved a bit fast didn't it?…well, what can I say, I wanted this story to be a bit fast moving and short. Only two more chapters and then it is finished so…….thank you all for reading, and don't forget to review! Kisses—MUH—!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Her heart wasn't in the fight and her scout knew it, and she even suspected the guards knew it as well. She dodged a whipping tentacle, nimbly back flipped a couple of times before dropping into a leg split as Mercury froze the attacker and Jupiter and Mars combined attacks to finish it off. The creature screamed, dropped to the ground with a dull thud and began changing back into a human. Serena squinted her eyes, focusing on the crystal's power. Her wand hummed at her side like a hive of bees. Shakily, she wrapped her damp palm around the handle and pointed it at the bleeding human.

"Why are you taking so long to finish this?" Mars hissed at her_. Because this is the end…because I can feel the crystals longing to be one._ "Sailor Moon?" Mars's voice was softer now and Serena realized that all her scouts had stopped to look at her.

"Why are you crying?" Venus asked gently, lowering her hands from a chain attack. _Was_ she crying? She touched her face and found her cheeks drenched with her hot bitter tears. She didn't want them to see her that way. Rows and rows of people that stood to watch the battle all quieted. She didn't want to show them her weakness, her fear. She was a hero after all.

She swallowed back the thick knot in her throat and managed a wobbly smile. "It's finally going to be over." She whispered, not feeling guilty for not telling them the whole truth. But her friends knew her well enough to know when she was being fake. She didn't give them time to respond as she healed the human and the crystal was left floating in the air.

"Why aren't they coming after it?" Jupiter asked in a quiet voice, looking to the shadows and seeing still statue like figures. Their capes were swirling in the gentle night breeze. Because Darien wasn't with them, that's why. Where was he? He had more than enough time to come and reveal her secrets and get in on the battle. But so far, he hasn't shown up. Despite the fact that she was quivering with her own fate, she couldn't help but worry about him. He looked so broken when she left him, like the light in his life was finally blown out. As she thought these things, her scouts were exchanging questionable glances with one another. The crystal still hovered in the air, waiting for someone to snatch it. Serena turned to her friends.

"Get it Mars." She said in a soft, dead voice. Her raven haired teammate gave a final look to her before starting out. Just then, the lights from the streets flickered out and the whole park was bathed in darkness. There was a blanket of shocked and surprised gasps from the surrounding bystanders. Only the flashing lights of the police barricades and police cars stood among the cloak of night. It was then that the guards moved. Startled, the girls all ran to back up Mars. One of the guards arrived at the crystal just as Mars skidded to a halt. The guard jumped like a panther just as Mars dove for it. They both knocked the crystal down and it _clinked_ as it bounced in the dirt.

"Fool!" Mars bellowed and sunk her right heel into the guard's stomach. He jumped back, his shirt ripping as her heel caught the fabric. Mars didn't let up, and gave a series of kicks. A lucky punch nicked his chin, sending his head snapping back.

The Scouts and Guards swarmed together in a mesh of power and steel. Serena didn't move. Part of her wanted this to happen, part of her didn't know what to do. It was like she lost control of everything finally, and it felt…like her secrets were finally floating off of her shoulders and she was free. Maybe they would feel the same, she thought watching Jupiter and the long brown haired Guard exchange fast blows. He had his sword out, sliced the middle. She barely had enough time to dodge it with a flip. He cursed with an impressive word and lunged at her once more.

"Venus crescent beam!" The slender beam was pared by the white haired man and he slid back in the loose dirt as he pushed the power back with the broad end of his huge sword.

"Shine aqua illusion!" The blanket of ice cold water was sent toward the one of the other guys and he ended up sprawled on the ground.

"Mars fire surround!" Multiple rings of fire shot at the short curly haired man. He nimbly dodged them, but one skated by his face and caught his mask on fire. He yelped and Serena watched in tense muteness as his tattered white mask fluttered to the ground. Mars stilled her eyes wide.

"Jadeite?" She finally uttered in a strained whisper. Jadeite was breathing hard staring at her with a similar expression. "Oh my god." She breathed, putting a hand to her trembling mouth.

Serena watched at the two just stared at one another and the fighting ceased a second after Mars spoke.

"Does that mean…?" Venus looked to the other figures, her eyes landing on the tall, somber one with silver hair. She slowly took herself to him, her arm outstretched. Slender finger pulled the mask from his eyes. Venus didn't look at his face, only the disguise that lay in her hands.

Serena shivered and she hugged herself to get warm. She felt him land next to her, but she didn't make an effort to move. I wish I had time to tell them, she thought, watching Jadeite and Mars. But there was no time, not even time to get over my own shock. Her nose burned, her eyes watered. Even in the end, it seems I can't do anything right for them. What would happen now? Everyone's secrets were out now, and they were bleeding with hurt, guilt, even betrayal.

"They should be happy together." She said low enough for only Darien's ears. He didn't respond so she continued. "Everything that happened to them in the past, I don't want them to know. I don't want them to relive that horrible fight where they all died to protect me. And what did I do? I killed myself and everything they suffered had been in vain." She quietly walked to where the crystal landed. "If I could go back, I would do things differently. I would have lived the way they wanted me to. The way _he_ wanted me too."

"He?" Darien's voice was a mere whisper. Serena felt her heart expand just thinking about her lover. Was he ever reborn like I was? What was he like I wonder? Did he have friends? Family? Did he always wonder, like she did, if the world had that one precious person just for them? Well, she would never know the 'what-ifs' now. Serena pulled off his mask to see his eyes clearly.

"I never see his face, but I can feel him with my heart. You remind me of him so much." She pulled the rest of the crystals she found that night from a small pocket that was sewn where her bodice met with her skirt. She cupped them in her hand and soon, each of them lit up. From the darkness, three more zoomed in to the park. They were the ones from her house. All seven jewels floated into the chilly night air and swirled and swirled until they exploded in silver light. She took her moon wand and the silver crystal inserted itself. A moan fell from her mouth as she felt the power of the crystal wash through her body. She had to control the reach of the light. If the Scouts or Guards were to be touched by the silver light, who know what suppressed memories could be made known to them.

Serena managed to keep the light solely on her. Her uniform glowed, changed. Light fabric caressed her legs, her shoulders were bare as her dress blossomed and her crescent forehead moon flared to life. The night was thick with stunned silence. Her scouts turned to her with blank faces and the guards were stiff with surprise. She looked at the men and her friends and her heart swelled with sorrow and secrets. The crystal was whole now and if she wanted, she could have reveled all that she knew of the past to them. But she wouldn't, after this final battle they would forget her, their powers would fade and seal themselves until they were needed again. No, what she did want was to keep her promise to a certain man. She didn't miss his astonished expression as she turned to him and tilted her face to meet his eyes.

"This is all I can give you." She whispered and slowly took his hand into her hands. The silver crystal glowed and surrounded the pair, stripped them naked. The ribbons of silver milk caressed their skin, stroked their faces and invaded his mind. Serena watched in silent awe as Darien's eyes fluttered closed, a halo of light surrounding his head. It was over in an instant as the light faded and they were back in the dark park. She still held on to his hand as he gradually came to. He tried to speak, but no words came out. It was to be expected.

"You need to rest after this." She murmured and did a most unexpected thing, she tip-toed and kissed him. Dancing lights from the hidden paparazzi and reporters danced on their faces and the dark silence erupted into cheers and gasps. He looked dazed when she pulled back and she couldn't help the little smirk that pulled at her lips. "You were the best tutor ever." She paused and gave a look to her stunned scouts. "Take care of them will you?" She gave them a silent look of apology.

"Serenity…" Venus began, taking a step forward. But it was too late and she was gone in a flash.

"Serenity!" Mars cried in protest wildly searching the park. "Mercury!" The little scout was already typing furiously on her computer. She was biting her lip, shaking her head as she entered another sequence of keys.

"Nothing. She's not anywhere!" She cried. Damn it! Where could she have gone? And why did she tell Darien to 'take care' of them? She whipped to confront him only to see him fall to the ground in unconsciousness.

"Prince!" Jadeite bolted from her side and he as well as the other guards went to his side.

"Prince?" Jupiter muttered giving the girls a concerned look.

"Kunzite…" Venus began only to stop as the white haired man gave her a halting hand. Venus blinked, hurt creasing her eyes. He must have seen that look because he left Darien's side and gathered her in his arms.

"I'm sorry but we can't have this talk in full view of the entire prefecture." He said. Mars sighed, rubbing her temple to help ease the pain building behind her eyes.

"Let's go." Nephrite had Darien slung over his shoulder. Everyone nodded in agreement and they made it out of the park just as the lights were turned back on.

XOXO

Serena was back in her original clothes as she stealthily slipped into the shadows of Tokyo. The crystal was safely in her pocket, but she was weak and scared of it all the same. Such a small jewel to hold so much power and bind her to an undeniable destiny. Soon, she was surrounded by dozen or so people who were muttering in excited tones.

"_See, I told you there was something going on with them!"_

"_She kissed him and just left! I wonder what's going on?"_

"_Does that mean all of them are going to work together since they left together?"_

Serena smiled as the young girls passed with their heads huddled close. She saw one of them with her cell phone out with a picture of the kiss they mentioned earlier. The crowed thinned, yet she remained in the same spot looking longingly at the young girls and knowing…that part of her life was over now. It seemed so far away now, school, friends, teenage life…

"Princess Serenity." A soft voice pulled her from her thoughts. She warily lifted her head in acknowledgment and saw two tall figures step from the shadows of the ally. They were familiar to her, the crystal told her of their powers. Strong powers, stronger than her inner scouts.

"Neptune, Uranus." The worlds spilled from her mouth as smoothly as a greeting would. They smiled a little, their arms folded.

"What are you planning to do?" Neptune asked. Serena didn't know her name yet, so she identified them by their planet powers. Of course they would have been reborn as well, destiny didn't forget about her guardians.

"You know what I must do." She said softly, bowing her head as she grasped the crystal in her pocket.

"Alone?" Uranus asked, raising a brow in her direction. Serena's mouth tightened. Were they here to stop her? She loved them also, they were the first to fall under Beryl's power. She would give them their life as well, their freedom.

"You can't stop me from doing this. Only one is needed to defeat her." She said stubbornly. The girls exchanged looks.

"It was faster than we originally thought." Neptune said, taking a step forward.

Serena frowned. "What was faster?"

"Your recollections. We didn't mean for it to happen. We wanted to present ourselves to you, but unfortunately we messed up. That movie…we helped make it." Movie? Serena's eyes widened.

"You knew who I was? What you are?" The girls nodded sagely.

"It was only supposed to make you realize who _he_ was." Neptune said.

"He?"

"Darien." Uranus supplied. Serena looked steadily at each of her protectors.

"Darien? What about him?"

"I thought you trusted your heart Princess? How could you be so blind?" Neptune asked with a smile. Her mind was drawing a blank. Darien was just Darien. Her tutor, her arch nemesis, her tormenter…what was so special about him?

"Please, let us come." Uranus said. A change of subject?

"No. I'll do this myself. I owe all of you." She said defiantly.

"But our duty is to protect you! We were given second chances and I'm not going to mess it up this time!" Uranus was becoming livid. It hurt Serena to hear her say such things, knowing that they never failed in their duty. They did protect her, all of them and she let her selfish emotions get in her way. Looking back now, she saw how weak she was.

"You'll only get in my way." She snapped. "I'm not the weak little girl that once lived in bliss on the Moon. I have a duty, I have a destiny. And if you want to prove your loyalty, than you will obey me." She sighed and turned away. "You can fill the inner scouts in, but I warn you." She pivoted. "Don't tell them about their deaths, don't tell them who killed them understand?" She was dead serious. The two girls shared a look. She saw more protest, so she left before they could stop her.

They would listen to her right? It was such a long time ago since they had seen and talked to one another. Were the Outer Scouts still loyal? Serena came to a halt in front of an abandoned part of town. The old building were tagged and faded.

"Luna?" She called out. She tensed when she heard something in the distance and jumped to the top of a building. Crouching, she squinted into the darkness and saw a tall shadow trotting toward her. Where the heck was Luna? She contacted her just before she met the others at the park. The shadowed person was just a transient. He looked up and down the vacant roads before disappearing into the night. With a sigh, Serena sat on the edge of the roof and waited.

XOXO

The scouts didn't change from their uniforms when they arrived at the shrine. The guys drug Darien into an empty room. There was little eye contact until they all met outside.

"So…" Jupiter started off, leaning against a tree with her arms folded in front of her.

"This is just crazy." Mars muttered and put a hand to her head.

"You're telling me. I would have never imagined that something like this would ever happen. I mean you guys are the freaking Sailor Scouts!" Zoicite exclaimed and gave Mercury a little grin. "I knew there was more to you."

"Shut up!" Mars exploded, glaring at each one of them, even Jadeite. "You guys don't seem to grasp what is happening here. Our Princess is gone! Why the hell were you after the crystals in the first place?"

"Calm down babe." Jadeite gulped when Mars gave him a dark death look. "Darien needed them. He was dreaming about some chick who wanted the silver crystal and he knew if he got it, she would tell him what he wanted to know." He cautiously touched her shoulder, and began giving her a one handed massage.

"What did he want to know?" Mercury asked.

"I don't know, he would never tell us out right. Look, there are two sides here. If we tell you our side, will you tell us yours?" Kunzite asked, glancing at Venus. Venus game him a frown, narrowing her eyes.

"Scout huddle." The girls all came into a circle, arms around each other's shoulders. "So, what do you think? I should break up with him?"

"Venus." Mars scolded. "Should we tell them?"

"What can we lose by telling them?" Mercury asked.

"Hum, we could lose Serenity's trust and our sense of mystic." Jupiter said with a shrug.

"She just left us! What do you think she did to Darien?" Mars whispered hotly.

"I don't know." Venus lifted her head to stare at the guys who looked like they were having a meeting of their own.

"What can we gain by telling them?" Mercury brought their attention back.

"Valuable information. Maybe a new reason for us to be enemies." Venus said.

"Well? We can't just scratch our heads all night. We have to find Serenity and see what she's up to! I have a bad feeling about this. She might do something stupid and get herself into trouble." Jupiter said in a worried tone.

The tense silence was too much. "Well?" Mars asked impatiently.

"We'll tell them the need to know stuff. Not all of it though." Venus told them with a nod. The girls turned to face them, huddled close to one another. The guys waited.

"Serena is a reincarnated Princess and we are her protectors." Venus began.

The guys exchanged looks with one another. "Darien is Prince of Earth, and we're his protectors." Kunzite said back. "What did she do to our Prince?"

"Hey, she would never do something to hurt him." Jupiter said hotly.

"Well Darien was fine before she gave him that kiss." Nephrite shot at her.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Mars took a step forward.

"Calm down." Venus tugged Mars's bow and the dark haired scout let herself be pulled back.

"You are the Prince of the Earth's protectors, I believe you." Mercury started after a couple of heated glares that were tossed back and forth between the groups. "We are the Princess of the Moon's protectors. We were sent here to protect the people here. But our main mission was to get the Silver Crystal. It belongs to her since before we came here. What are your reasons for wanting the crystal?"

Everyone seemed to calm down a bit. "Jadeite, tell them." Kunzite instructed.

"He kept on having dreams about this girl. She was begging him to find the crystal and if he did, Darien believed that she could tell him what was missing in his life. He grew up alone, his parents died when he was young, but he told us that he always felt like he needed to look for someone. It ate at him until the girl came into his dreams. She gave him a purpose, to find the crystal meant that he could finally find what he was looking for." Jadeite explained looking to Mars as he did.

"And he never told you what he was looking for?" Venus asked with a thoughtful finger to her chin.

"He was looking for Princess Serenity." Everyone jumped to ready stance when the unrecognizable voices were heard. The tops of two heads steadily became clearer as the new people made their way up the stairs. They were stunning, one tall and blonde that kinda looked like Jadeite, and one poised beauty with wavy aqua colored hair.

"Who are you?" Venus demanded warily staring at them with fierce narrowed eyes.

"Calm yourself. We're on the same side." The blonde newcomer said and stuffed her hands in the pockets of her black jeans.

"Prove it." Mars shot hotly at them. The two girls exchanged looks and the blonde shrugged.

"Fine." They took out two changing wands that were way different then theirs. After the transformation, the girls looked to one another in shock.

"Uranus and Neptune." Venus said with a troubled shake of her head. "How come we don't remember you?"

"Princess Serenity restrained your knowledge when she kept the crystal's light from shining on you."

"Do you know where she is?" Mars exclaimed. Uranus and Neptune both let out identical troubled sighs.

"About to get herself into danger." Uranus finally said with a frown. Neptune gave a slight incline of her head. There was some rustling, like someone sliding their feet in the dirt. Darien stumbled from the building, bedraggled and still very pale.

"Prince." Kunzite rushed to his side, slinging Darien's arm over his shoulder to keep him standing.

"We have to go. We have to find my Serenity." He said, gritting his teeth and holding a hand to his throbbing head. There was dead silence, the Scouts all flushed in possessiveness.

"_Your_ Serenity?" Mars asked him dangerously. Darien was pale, but he met her gaze with fire burning in his eyes.

"Yes. _My_ Serenity." He turned to his guards. "It was her all along…Serena my mortal pain in the ass was the girl in my dreams."

"I see." Kunzite murmured in understanding and then looked at the newcomers. "Do you know where she went?"

The girls smiled. "Of course." The aqua haired girl said and motioned them to follow. "From this point on, everything you'll experience will truly test your strengths. Physically, mentally…emotionally."

"What do you mean?" Mercury asked, keeping close to Jupiter.

"You'll see." The blonde Uranus answered elusively and for that, the girls felt fear. Mars fell behind the girls and waited for Jadeite to join her.

"Despite everything we've kept from each other, I want you to know…I still love you." She whispered to him, sudden emotion filling her eyes. He crushed her to him, kissed the crown of her head.

"Nothing will change." He vowed. Venus and Kunzite were in front of them and they exchanged a silent forgiveness.

"I hope he's right." Venus whispered taking Kunzite's hand into her own. He pulled her close to him and gave her little hand a squeeze of assurance.

"Me too." He replied back and the group disappeared into the night…

XOXO

AN: Well here it is the chapter before the final one. Thank you Thank you Thank you for the unlimited patience…remember to review! Kisses :_MUH:_


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